After deciding to create a website, determining how social media fits into your marketing strategy should be your next step. It may seem like a can that you can kick down the road, but social media offers one of the quickest ways to build your online presence.

In particular, TikTok presents an opportunity to get in front of more than 1 billion active users each month. With its addictive infotainment-style videos, TikTok gives brands large and small a platform for engaging consumers in a fresh, exciting way.

That said, if you’re looking to get started on TikTok, it pays to analyze user behaviors and understand when consumers are most engaged. Audiences differ from market to market and business to business, so you’ll want to take the time to study your specific audience and identify the best times for your business to engage with them on TikTok.

Why does posting time matter on TikTok?

Going viral on TikTok requires high-quality content and a bit of luck. But understanding what the TikTok algorithm looks at—especially as it pertains to timing—can help you improve your luck.

In addition to factors like user interactions, user information and video information, the TikTok algorithm takes timeliness into consideration. It values fresh and recent content. In other words, newer videos have a higher chance of being recommended, especially if they relate to current trends or events. Therefore, posting your content when users are most likely to see it means you'll have a better chance at grabbing their attention and encouraging engagement.

More specifically, your posting time on TikTok can have the following effects:

• Your video may get more engagement: Newly posted videos are initially shown to a relatively small group of users that TikTok's algorithm selects based on past interests and behavior. If they engage with your video, then the algorithm will share it with more people with similar interests. This is the main reason why posting when your target audience is most active increases your chances of reaching more people.
  

• Your video is more likely to show up on TikTok's “For You” page: TikTok displays a personalized stream of videos on each user’s “For You” page. The TikTok algorithm recommends videos to users based on their interests and past behavior. So, if you’re able to catch users’ attention early and often, you may have a higher chance of getting seen on their “For You” pages later down the road.
  

• You can get an extra boost depending on the context: Trends, seasons and current events all influence what content appears on the “For You” page. Similarly, timing your content based on certain periods of the day could influence engagement. For example, if you’re posting about a current event, it helps to be one of the first covering the breaking news. Alternatively, if you’re posting a dance video, you might have better engagement in the afternoon when students are back from school.
  

• You may stand out more when posting during slower periods: It might seem counterintuitive, but posting during times when TikTok is less busy could help your video stand out. With fewer videos vying for attention, your posts may have a better opportunity to stand out and gain traction among the TikTok community.

Timing is an essential part of what should be a more robust TikTok marketing strategy that incorporates things like hashtags, influencer partnerships and high-quality video production. All these elements work together to give your videos the best chances of being seen.

When is the best time to post on TikTok?

Sprout Social’s study of 400,000 social profiles suggests that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. in your time zone are the best times to post on TikTok. Engagement is at its highest on those days because “users are looking to fill their afternoon entertainment boost.” Meanwhile, the same study suggests that Sundays are the worst days to post, especially if you’re working in consumer goods, tourism or education.

That said, other studies point to different optimal times, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the above question. For this reason, it’s important to consider other factors that are specific to your audience when deciding the best time to post on TikTok.

5 factors for determining the best time to post on TikTok

Knowing the most popular engagement times on TikTok is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to maximizing post visibility. There are other elements that come into play, and each will impact your ability to reach users on the platform.

01. Audience time zone

The key to figuring out the best time to post on TikTok is figuring out when your target audience is most likely to be active online. Whether you have followers from around the corner or across the globe, adjusting your posting schedule to match their local time can make a big difference. By aligning your posting schedule with your audience’s time zone, you can increase the chances of getting more engagement and interactions.

Pro tip: Take advantage of your website data for insight into your audience’s demographics. For instance, Wix Analytics’ Traffic Overview report can show you the countries and regions that most site visitors hail from. This can help you to identify the best markets to target on TikTok, and inform your posting schedule and content.

02. Audience age

Different age groups have distinct online habits and peak activity periods. For example, if you’re targeting a younger demographic, your audience might be more active during after-school hours or in the evenings. On the other hand, if your target audience is more of a nine-to-five crowd, they may be more active before work or during their lunch break.

03. Follower activity

TikTok's analytics tool offers valuable insights into when your actual followers are most active. Once you earn more than 100 followers, you can access this info directly from your profile. But if you want even more detailed analytics, you might want to think about upgrading to TikTok for Business. With upgraded analytics, you'll get deeper insights into your followers' activity patterns, how engaged they are and how well your content is performing.

Here are some tips for using your TikTok Analytics dashboard to help you plan the timing of your posts:

• Review follower activity: TikTok provides information about when (by day and time) your followers are most active and where they're located. For example, TikTok Analytics may tell you that your U.S.-based followers are most active at 10 p.m. on Thursdays, whereas your Australian followers are much more engaged at 11 a.m. on Saturdays.
  

• Review post engagement trends: Analyze reactions, comments, shares and reach of all your posts to understand when certain types of content resonate most with your followers.
  

• Review which posts performed best: This will help you develop a feel for the best days and times to post for your existing followers. It’s also a good way to begin testing a broader time/day posting strategy for TikTok.
  

• Review your "follower by the hour" numbers: This helpful stat provides an hour-by-hour chart illustrating when your followers are most likely to be online.
  

• Look at both overall and specific metrics: It's important to examine overall audience trends and dive into more detailed insights, such as specific video performance numbers. Doing such a comprehensive analysis will give you the most accurate sense of when and how frequently to post.
  

• Pay attention to content metrics: Content metrics like watch time, views by region, full video watches and total shares are important because they help you understand what content is working. Adjust your posting strategy based on these insights to effectively create a posting timeline that resonates with your audience.

Pro tip: Compare your TikTok findings with your Wix Analytics to understand which of your posts yield sales. Reports such as Wix’s Top Traffic Sources report can help you track the number of visitors that enter your site through TikTok, as well as the products or services that these buyers gravitate towards.

04. Trends, events and occasions

Occasions, seasons and trends are all great opportunities for posting timely content. Look out for what’s trending on TikTok and plan to capitalize on special occasions like holidays, movie releases or occasions like “National Sibling Day" or "Women's History Month." Additionally, staying up-to-date about current events can help you create social media marketing content that resonates with your audience.

05. Competitor activity

Doing competitor research on TikTok can provide valuable insights when determining what time to post on the platform. Take the time to explore your competitors' business profiles and identify the videos that have garnered the most engagement. If there are any patterns in the timing of those posts, it’s worth testing to see if those posting times increase the engagement around your content.

How to find the best time to post on TikTok for you

Ultimately, the best time to post on TikTok depends on your business goals, target audience and the type of content you produce. While there are some basic guidelines to keep in mind—like posting when your audience is most active and testing different timing strategies—you'll need to experiment with a range of different approaches to find the right combination that works for you.

Start with your existing followers and content by monitoring post activity, engagement trends and demographics to set the stage for building a wider audience on TikTok. Also, pay attention to content metrics like watch time, views by region, full video watches and total shares. These data points shed light on what your audience finds interesting (or not).

Finally, make sure to experiment with different posting strategies. Try posting at different times, on different weekdays and with varying frequency. Since TikTok is a global platform, your audience may be larger than you realize.

Post with time zones in mind, then monitor where viewers are coming from and when they respond. Give yourself time to learn and gain data. You may not immediately find a strategy that works, but it's okay if you don't get it right away. Adjust your approach as needed and eventually you'll find the perfect time to post on TikTok for your brand.